The CUHK SPHPC Student Government is going to increase the number of student activities and gatherings during the 2009-10 academic year. As the school nears 600 part-time and full-time students this year, students will have opportunities to involve themselves in student life—through advocacy, service and career development both in and out of the classroom.

In October, the Student Government will kick-off the first CUHK Public Health Lunchtime Leadership Lecture Series, a Tuesday lunch event that invites prominent leaders in public service to speak to students about emerging global issues relating to the health of populations. Ms Christine LOH, Chief Executive Officer of Civic Exchange, a prominent Hong Kong public policy think tank, and Ms Joanne OOI, Chief Executive Officer of Clean Air Network (CAN), will speak to the students at the first Leadership Lecture on Tuesday, 6 October 2009. Also participating in the series is Mr Andrew Seaton, British Consul-General to Hong Kong and Macao, who will speak in November on climate change.

This is the first time I am serving as the President of the School of Public Health and Primary Care Alumni Association (SPHPCAA), and I regard it as a privilege to write a message to our members in this Newsletter. The new executive committee was elected on 30th March, 2009. We would like to express our gratitude to Professor Sian Griffiths, our honorary adviser as well as Professor Martin Wong and Professor Eliza Wong, our founding members for their tremendous contribution to SPHPCAA.

On behalf of the SPHPCAA, I would also like to take this opportunity to send our warm welcome to all new core committee members who has joined the executive committee this year. As the President of SPHPCAA, I am honored to be invited to join the Committee to work and contribute my best effort to unify all past graduates of School of Public Health and Primary Care which is formerly known as the School of Public Health, The Chinese University of Hong Kong.

An important predictor of osteoporotic fractures in later life is the rate and amount of bone loss occurring with age, especially in menopausal women. To investigate change in bone mineral density (BMD) and its determinants in Hong Kong Chinese perimenopausal women, Professor Suzanne C. Ho has conducted a 30-month study on a group of pre-, peri-, and postmenopausal women.

438 women aged 45 to 55 years were recruited. By face-to-face interview, their bone mass, body composition, lifestyle measurements were obtained at baseline and at 9-, 18- and 30-month follow-ups.

Dietary transition is apparent in Chinese population along with globalization. Previous studies indicated that dietary pattern plays an important role in women's health. Changes in dietary pattern from traditional style may induce positive or negative effects on health.

In response to the Hong Kong Kidney Day in June, the Centre of Research and Promotion of Women's Health (CRPWH) of the School of Public Health, CUHK organised a health talk on 'Prevention of Renal Diseases' on June 13, 2009. We are honored to have Professor Bonnie KWAN from the Department of Medicine and Therapeutics and our centre doctor Dr Karine SO to deliver two topics, one on the prevention of chronic kidney diseases and the other on causes of urinary tract stones. Most audiences indicated that they enjoyed the talk and the content was very informative. Besides, due to the outbreak of Human Swine Flu (H1N1), Dr So had shared some tips for H1N1 prevention.

My month interning in the School of Public Health and Primary Care was challenging, eye-opening and educational. The wide and varied tasks I had to fulfil included a short research project, giving assistance in the Bachelor of Science in Public Health Orientation Camp and two educational trips into China.

I particularly would like to focus on the China trips, which gave me valuable exposure to issues and social conditions that are so often ignored by the rest of the world. The day in Shen Zhen visiting health centres and shadowing Sian and some professors to high-profile meetings led me to comprehend the difficulty of progress and effective discussion when both parties have different self-interests. Glimpsing the factory conditions – even though they were supposedly better comparatively to others in the city – were shocking and sad, because the reality was that the workers led a rather dreary and monotonous existence with no hope for a better future.

The hot summer cannot lock me in the room!
There are so many new experiences outside.
Beautiful colors flows on the street.
Smiles can always be seen.
I have met new friends and new places.
I have joined new activities.
Different people, different languages and different ideas all mix and communicate with each other.
New thoughts cannot wait to be born.
I can feel the passion of The Chinese University of Hong Kong!